Zyrene Parsad gives up showbiz for love

If you hear the song Ang Bagong Pilipino on the campaign trail, you will notice that the voice sounds familiar. The singer is Zyrene Parsad-Valencia who sang Lupang Hinirang during the bout of Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito in Texas in 2010.

“I was Pacquiao’s personal choice,” said Zyrene, “and I was cited by Congress for being the only one who sang it the right way.”

Zyrene is now singing to woo votes for her husband, Nico Valencia, who is running in next month’s mid-term elections under the Party-List Juan Movement whose advocacy is nationalism.

“Ang Bagong Pilipino was composed by then MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino who asked me to sing it during the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF),” explained Zyrene. “He was one of the principal sponsors at our wedding. The song’s message reflects that of Juan Movement, so I asked our ninong’s permission to sing it at the campaign.”

A third-placer in the GMA talent search Are You The Next Big Star?, Zyrene was under contract with Viva when she quit showbiz in favor of marriage, never mind if she had already one album released and Viva had laid out big plans for her. Viva Boss Vic del Rosario, also the couple’s ninong, understood Zyrene’s decision.

“Actually,” admitted Zyrene, “when I sang at the Pacquiao-Margarito fight, I was already engaged to Nico. As soon as I came back from Texas, he proposed to me. It wasn’t a tough decision to make. I knew my priorities in life. My career will always be there, but my husband is my forever. No regrets. I’m very happy. Every day, I feel so loved and I’m so in love.”

Their paths first crossed when Zyrene was assigned to interview Nico’s father, former Mindoro governor and congressman Rodolfo Valencia.

“We were on a Supercat to Mindoro when Nico’s dad told me I was pretty,” recalled Zyrene. “Then, he said that he had a son and introduced Nico to me. We were two right people meeting at the right time. Nico was free and so was I. In fact, he’s my first and only boyfriend.”

A Business Management graduate from La Salle College of St. Benilde, Nico at 43 is 11 years Zyrene’s senior but the age gap doesn’t matter.

“We never fight,” said Zyrene, “but we do argue. Fighting is different from arguing. I’m happy. This is God’s plan for me, for us. When you are married, you don’t think of yourself anymore. We put God at the center of our marriage.”

Away from showbiz, Zyrene is busy with her work as a wedding director of Bridal Walk which is based at the St. Michael Church at BGC (Bonifacio Global City). With Anthony Pangilinan and wife Maricel Laxa as mentors, Zyrene and Nico prepare couples getting married, as Zyrene put it, “emotionally, mentally, financially and, most important of all, spiritually.”

The couple has put off their plan to have a child until after elections.

“Hopefully,” said Nico half-joking, “twins.”

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Bong tears up as he sings for wife Lani

Bacoor City Mayor Lani Mercado with husband, former senator Bong Revilla, who surprised her with a song.

At her 51st birthday celebration last Monday at the City Hall Auditorium, Bacoor Mayor Lani Mercado was pleasantly surprised when her husband, former Sen. Bong Revilla dedicated a song to her ­— a Tagalized version of A Time For Us. Bong was in near tears.

“Na-sorpresa talaga ako,” said Lani whose birthday is on Saturday, April 13, yet.

Then, they joined their hands to form a heart sign, much to the delight of the audience composed of City Hall employees, barangay captains and other supporters. Lani and Bong are running for reelection.

Asked what her birthday wish was, Lani said, “Just one, not for me but for Bong. Sana maibalik siya sa Senado.”

Lani with Vice Mayor Karen Sarino Evaristo (fifth from left), City Councilor Rowena Bautista Mendiola (center) and other local city officials during her 51st birthday celebration last Monday at the Bacoor City Hall. Photos by Ver Paulino

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